Combination air washer and humidifier



0a. 1o, 1944.' lp, L HOLMES 42,360,229

COMBINATION AIR WASHER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed Jan. 20, 1942 :inventor Pmi/0 I. fzme;

Patented Oct. 10, 1944 COMBINATION AIR WASHER AND HUMIDIFIER Philip I. Holmes, Brighton, Mass.

Application January 20, 1942, Serial No. 427,405 1 Claim.v (Cl. 261-121) This invention relates to dust removal means for use with vacuum cleaners or other devices that remove dust from articles such as rugs.

In the typical vacuum cleaner, the dirt is sucked from the rug or other article that is being cleaned by means of a blower and is then passed into a dirt collector where the dirt particles are trapped by one means or another, with the carrying air thereafter being permitted t pass on back into the room. v

It is well known that the iilters or other traps that may be used are not capable of removing all of the dirt and dust particles from the carrying air, although the major portion of the dirt is caught. Itis with respect to the removal of the remaining small particles of dirtand dust that are not caught by the iirst collector that this invention is particularly concerned. This invention provides means, in the form of a unit which may be attached to vacuum cleaners, through which the air under substantial pressure coming from a prior dust collector may be passed. The construction is such that the dust particles contained in the air passing through the unit will be filtered out so that the air leaving the unit will be substantially free of dust.

A further object of the invention is to providelmeans which will humidify the air that passes through the unit so that the humidity of the room in which the vacuum cleaner is used will be raised.

A further object of the invention is the provision of visual means within the dust removing unit for indicating that the unit is functioning properly.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete unit, showing it positioned on the end of an elbow leading from the prior dust removing source;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the unit shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 2- and disclosing a modified form;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, broken away in part, showing a further modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the unit comprises a cup-shaped casing 2 having a cylindrical wall A and a bottom 5. Extending upwardly through the center of the bottom is a tube 8. The eX- tension l Il of the tube below the bottom may be of any convenient length and formation to provide means for connection to a pipe, such as pipe l2, shown in Fig. 1, leading from a prior dust collector. In Fig. 1, the extension It is connected to pipe l2 by a friction fit within the upper end thereof.

Covering the upper end of -pipe lll is a cap I4 having a cylindrical, downwardly extending flange I6 of appreciably greater diameter than that of tube 8. A plurality of holes or apertures i8 are provided at the upper end of tube 8 so that air flowing upwardly through tube 8 may pass laterally through holes or passageways I8, to be directed downwardly by ange I6.

Covering the tube and cap unit just described is an inverted glass jar 20, threaded at its lower end at 22 whereby it may be screwed tightly into a threaded member 24 which is ali'xed to bottom 6. The engagement of tube 8 with bottom 6 is watertight so that the space 26 between tube 8 and jar 20 lan annular receptacle which may be lled with water to a level in proximity to the lower edge of the flange I 6. A rubber washer 25 insures watertight connection between threads 22 and the receiving threaded member 24. It will be appreciated, of course, that jar 2, while made of glass in the preferred form, may be made of metal or any other material capable of holding water. Glass or other transparent material, however, is preferred, as the user is enabled to see at a glance the level of the water therein.

As indicated by the line 28 in Fig. 1, the water level is above the top edge 30 of wall 4 and below the lower edge 32 of flange I6. At level 28, therefore, the surface of the water is clearly visible to the user. When it falls below top edge 30, there is indication that additional water should be added.

Through the top of jar 2|) is an aperture 34 through which air passing upwardly through the jar may escape. Preferably the aperture is closed by a screen 36 heldin a frame 38 which is secured Within the aperture 34'. Screen 36 is not, however, relied upon as means forrremoving dust particles from air leaving the jar, but merely as a protection against the entrance into the jar from the outside of other matter.

'I'he operation of the unit thus far described is as follows: Dust-laden air passes to the unit through the duct to which the unit is connected, as, for example, through pipe l 2, passes upwardly through tube 8, out through holes I8, downwardly within flange I6 where it impinges with considerable force on the pool of Water contained within jar 20. The impingng action is so vigorous tion as indicated at 40 in Fig.. 2. The foam thus produced comprises a multitude of bubbles the aggregate surface area of which adapted to be engaged by the dust particles greatly exceeds the area of the quiet, or even wavy, surface of the water in the jar 20. The dust particles will effectively adhere to the walls of the bubbles in a manner similar to the adherence of ne metallic materials kto the walls of the bubblesin the well known flotation processes of ore separation and will descend in the water upon rupture of the bubbles along with other particles of suicient weight to settle by gravity. As a result, dust particles contained within the air will be caught by the water, leaving the air clean as it passes upward in the general direction of arrows 42 and Yhence out to the atmosphere through screen 36.

liquid must be sufliciently close to lower edge 32 of flange I so that there will be sufficient disturbance. of the liquid to provide the trapping action. In some cases, where there is an especially strong blower, the Water level may be raisedV to a point above the lower edge of flange I6, so

that the air will actually bubble through the water. This, however, is not a preferred arrangement, for in the ordinary case too much back pressure would thereby be imposed on the blower, affecting its efficiency. Y

In Fig. 4 is shown a modification which may be used under certain pressure conditions, This construction is similar Yto that shown in Fig. 2 except that a small S-shapecl pipe 44 is hooked into one of the holes I8 so that the entering end of thepipe 46 is directly in line with the upward flow of air through tube 8. The lower end 48 of pipe 44 is located below the liquid level. In this manner, a certain proportion of the air that would normally escape through holes I8 is caught by pipe 44 and caused to bubble upwardly through. the liquid as indicated at 50. This bubbling action causes a distinct rulfling of the water surface whereby it will be in better condition to catch the dust particles that are blown down thereagainst It will be understood that the dimensions of pipe 44 are such that under the air velocity conditions that are present there will be sufficient pressure available within pipe 44 to overcome the head of water that extends from the bottom of the pipe to the water level. y

As isi-well known, the velocity of air flowing from a typical vacuum cleaner is very consid-Y erable, and in all cases will be sufficient tocause actual flow of air through pipe 44.

Another modification of the structure is also shown in Fig. 4, in which the lower edge of jar 20, instead of being screwed into corresponding threads, is embedded in any suitable watertight material, illustrated at 52. This watertight Ina-A terial might be in the form of a U-shaped rubber ring into which the lower edge of jar might be placed, to be sealed thereagainst by cement, indicated at 54. The connection between material 52 and the wall 4 is likewise watertight. Y

In Fig. 5 is shown a further modification which provides additional means for indicating whether or not the device is actually functioning. Since air is generally invisible, it is in some instances desirable to provide an indicator which will shoW that the air is flowing in the manner intended. Accordingly, there is mounted on the top of cap I4 a vertical shaft 56 which carries a small propeller 58. Shaft 56 is supported by an easy running bearing B0, Thus, any air flowing upwardly .about cap I4 and being expelled through screen 4has been trapped by the water and which accumulates at the bottom of the container. When the jar 20 is unscrewed from the position shown in Fig. 2, the water and dirt will then be retained withinl cup 2, from which it maybe poured. In

the pouring operation, the water tends to rim upwardly along tube 8, and in so doing will oftentimes flow to a limited extent through holes I8 to the inside of tube 8. This is objectionable because, when the unit is thereafter righted, the water within tube 8 may drip o ut on the floor or other surroundings. To prevent this from happening, I have provided a conically shaped flange 62, shown in Fig. 5, which acts to catch any water that may flow upwardly along tube 8. This makes it possible for the user to clean the unit without requiring the exercise of anyV particular care or skill.

While the invention has been shown in its preferred forms, it will be understood, however, that modifications may be made within the scope of the disclosure without departing from the invention. It is intended that the invention shall not be limitedvexcept by the appended claim.

I claim:

IA unit for removing dust particles from a current of dust-laden air comprising a metal tube for conducting the current of air under pressure having near its upper .end lateral apertures, an open .receptacle surrounding said tube and extendingrwell above the upper end thereof and containing ay liquid to a level a short distance below the apertures in said tube, a cap closing the end of said tube having adownwardly extending peripheral flange narrowly .spaced from said tube surrounding said apertures and terminating in such proximity to the surface of the liquid as to cause an annular current of the dust-laden air to impinge thereon with suflicient force to produce a multitude of bubbles presenting a large aggregate surface area to which the dust particles may adhere vand from which they will settle into the liquid upon the rupture of the bubbles,

anda pipe leading from an aperture in said tube PHILIP I. HOLMES. 

